What really happened between Leicester and Leeds on deadline day

Transfer deadline day can often be a traumatic and tense time when the future of a player is uncertain, and Jack Harrison will never forget the events of Tuesday January 31, 2023.

The Leeds United winger endured his very own emotional rollercoaster that day, when he was at the centre of a proposed £22 million move to Leicester City.

Two hours before the 11pm cut-off point, Harrison was starting a medical at Leicester’s training ground after Leeds had accepted a bid earlier that afternoon.

Brendan Rodgers was convinced the deal was going through, but at around 9.15pm Harrison’s agent, Remy Cherin, took a call from Leeds informing him it was off and to head back up the motorway.

Leicester were stunned, with Rodgers describing it as one of his biggest disappointments in management. The Northern Irishman was subsequently sacked by Leicester on Sunday after a poor run of results.

Two months later, Harrison is sitting in an office at Thorp Arch, the Leeds training base, reflecting on the experience. “It was strange to say the least. Everyone knows what happened, there was a lot of drama,” he says.

“As a player it was the most vulnerable I’ve felt. It was a big eye-opener to what goes on behind the scenes with football. When I got the call [telling him the deal was off] I had to accept it straight away. You have to accept the chaos and move forward.

“There is drama in other people’s lives and they have to go to work the next day, it’s just the same for us as footballers. I realised it’s important to have really good people around you.”

Harrison is now set to sign a new contract with Leeds and his commitment to the club is not in question. While it could have been easy for his head to drop, Harrison’s affinity with Leeds runs deep since first joining on loan in July 2018.

In three of the last four matches he has been outstanding, with goals against Brighton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

“Both the club and I know there is business still to be done here at Leeds,” he says. “I quickly learned that it [deadline day] was part of the job. There is no time to dwell on it, complain or be upset. It’s about being in the moment and right now I’m at Leeds where I can make a difference.”

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Harrison’s laser-focus is perhaps no surprise. He is currently reading The Mindful Athlete, the acclaimed book written by psychologist George Mumford which includes the memorable quote: “Respond from the centre of the hurricane, rather than reacting from the chaos of the storm.”

He also points to the support of Cherin and his girlfriend, Fiorella, during tough moments, and his story at Leeds is far from finished. After helping the club to promotion under Marcelo Bielsa, he has established himself as a key player at this level and, on the final day of last season, scored the crucial goal which retained Leeds’s Premier League status.

“It’s been quite a journey, with a lot of ups and downs. In the first year we got knocked out of the play-offs [by Derby] and that was my first real experience of English football.

“Then we got promoted, which was the complete opposite and a thrilling experience. I still look at the pictures of us bonding with the fans in the stadium.”

Harrison’s fingernails have only just returned to normal length after last season’s mad scramble to safety. His goal at Brentford came four minutes into added time, sparking wild scenes of celebration.

Leeds are locked in another relegation battle this season, but recent results suggest there may not be the drama of last year’s final day. “After the Brentford game it felt like a weight was lifted off our shoulders,” he says. “When we scored the second goal I ran to the away fans in the corner thinking ‘I can breathe again’.

“There was just so much relief. Being in that position is just crazy for players. You’re always looking at other scores. Towards the end of last season players were on their phones looking at scores from other games even before going into our game. It’s not a good thing at all.”

Ahead of Leeds’s home game against Crystal Palace on Sunday, the club is 13th in the table yet only two points above the dreaded dotted line.

“A lot of us are familiar with how bad the pressure can get towards the end of the season,” says Harrison. “People underestimate the pressures you come under as a player, even from your closest friends at times.”

Harrison’s impressive performances have undoubtedly been sparked by the arrival of head coach Javi Gracia, a surprise appointment in February. Perhaps it helps that Harrison speaks fluent Spanish: his girlfriend is from Costa Rica while one of his closest friends in the dressing room is Junior Firpo of the Dominican Republic.

Gracia’s attention to detail is already well known at Leeds: at his interview he produced a lengthy presentation outlining his philosophy and how players could perform in his style of play.

“When he’s talking to the players he’s often got his laser pointed at a player saying ‘you should be two centimetres to the left’. He’s very particular, but we have to be so focused on the small details,” says Harrison. “He’s demanding as a coach but is all about us being together, which is important from now until the end of the season.

“I know the fans want us to be entertaining and quick, but it’s not always possible. At this point we need to get results, and Javi is the perfect manager for that.”

World Cup ambitions

While Harrison has one eye on survival, there is another long-term target in his sights. He has already played for England’s Under-21s and is determined to make the step-up to the seniors and play at the 2026 World Cup.

With some of the tournament to be held in the United States, Harrison has an added incentive after living in north America for seven years, when he played “university soccer” there before joining New York City FC.

“I do believe that I can play there and if you look at my numbers compared to some of the other top players in the league, they are right up there,” he says. “I believe in my talent and what I’m capable of doing. It will always be an ambition for me.

“With the World Cup back in the US, I feel like it’s almost written a little bit. It’s not a given, so I need to do what needs to be done here.”

As Harrison leaves the room, there is one inevitable final question: Will Leeds stay up? “Absolutely, yeah. No doubt.”